Going Over This
by SCE2AUX
Summary: It's hard to be hard on your friend, but sometimes it's the best thing you can do. One-shot featuring two shots.


The Panzer IV was there, facing away as I crested the hill; I lined up my shot perfectly, and pulled the trigger. As I did, I noticed white smoke wafting from the stubby barrel of my target's gun. My shot was perfect, right into the backside of the enemy tank. The white flag I was looking for sprouted up.

"Ooarai Girls Academy takes the match!" Not fast enough, it seemed. I sighed in disgust and fell back between the legs of my loader.

After the ceremonial bow, and a rather intimate exchange of words and an awkward handshake between Kay and the Oorai commander – didn't know her name, but she looked awfully familiar. Kay walked up to us and put her hand solidly upon Alisa's left shoulder.

"We'll be going over what happened here today." The uncharacteristic coldness of that declaration gave me a chill up my spine, and Alisa sobbed uncontrollably. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I stroked the girl's hair to calm her down.

Kay wasn't one to intentionally let people twist in the wind, but being commander of a sensha-do team has its pressing responsibilities and one thing tends to lead directly into another. No doubt that Alisa thought that she would be able to wait things out until it had blown over and forgotten.

Then the day of the final dawned.

"Naomi! Alisa! Come with me! Naomi, you drive. Kay took the back seat of the Jeep while Alisa rode shotgun.

"Where we headed, boss?" I asked

"Thought we'd drop in on Miho. Scuttlebutt is that her mother is going to disown her if she loses this match against her former school. As I see it, she needs all the help we can give her."

I felt my jaw tighten. Sure it was good to be competitive, but to dump your own child over a stupid sport? Really?

"Miho!" Kay shouted as we arrived in front of her nicely upgraded Panzer IV. "I'm expecting you'll show me another exciting and crazy fight!"

Miho bowed in thanks. "Good luck!" Kay shouted in English as we drove off. Alisa sighed as we drove off. "That could have been us, if Naomi's tank had been a bit faster."

I felt as if I'd been punched and turned to reply sharply when Kay raised her hand as if to say _not now, not yet._ I noticed her reach down to pull out a folder of papers. "Thanks for reminding me Alisa," she said coolly. "Before we enjoy the match, we have a matter to discuss." Upon arrival, we entered the tent that we had set up. "Naomi," Kay said cheerfully, "have a seat." "You," she said, pointing a finger at Alisa, "remain standing." Alisa whimpered, but did as she was told.

"Alisa," said Kay in formal tones, reading from a typed paper saying **Summarized Record of Proceedings Under Article 15, UCMJ**. "On or around the match with Ooarai, you set up a balloon equipped with a radio tapping device in order to gain an unfair advantage by listening in on radio broadcasts, is that correct?"

Alisa sniffled. "Yes ma'am."

"And when I asked where you had gotten your information, you falsely reported that it was 'women's intuition,' is _that_ correct?"

"Y-yes ma'am."

"Alisa," said Kay, very serious. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I wasn't _cheating_! Everything I did was within the rules. The rules only ban it from airplanes! Besides, how was that any different from what Oddball did!?"

"Sensha-do rules specifically allow reconnaissance before a match. They specifically forbid wiretapping during one. The fact that you used a balloon is just a matter of quibbling. Alisa, you know what national theme Saunders is based on. Do you know where we get our uniforms from?"

I knew the answer, I'd read our mission statement. "West Point," I volunteered.

Kay nodded, and then read from another piece of paper. "' _If a cadet is true in thought, word, and deed, there is no question about his meeting the standards of the Corps. On the other hand, quibbling, evasive statements, or the use of technicalities to conceal guilt are not tolerated at West Point.'_ The wiretapping, Alisa, is a serious matter, but what is more serious is that you lied to me about it. I can't let either offense go unpunished. That being the case, I hereby order you to write formal apologies both in English and Japanese to both the President of Oorai; Anzu Kadotani, and to the Commander of Oorai's Senshado Team; Miho Nishizumi. Each apology letter will be no less than a thousand words long and returned to Naomi or me a week from today.

I noticed Alisa swallowing hard. We all knew a bit of English, but putting down two thousand words would be tough.

Kay continued. "For lying to me, you are also hereby suspended for the first two official matches of next season." Alisa gasped audibly at that, tears spurting from her eyes. "However," said Kay gently, "If I like your apology letters, and you perform honorably in any and all friendly matches we have between now and then, I will waive this suspension. Are there any questions, Alisa?"

Alisa choked back a sob. "N-no m-ma'am."

Kay stood and embraced our wayward friend. "This matter is closed. Let's go watch Oorai kick Kuromorimine's ass."


End file.
